UFRJ Technology Park celebrates 20 years

2023 marks the 20th anniversary of IASP member Parque Tecnológico do Rio (UFRJ), the Technology Park of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), which is being celebrated with a programme of activities.  

It began in April, the month of the park’s official ‘birthday’, with an opening ceremony of the anniversary celebrations that was attended by government officials and representatives from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The ceremony also saw the announcement of new residents, such as a Social Enterprise Incubator, the arrival of an Agribusiness Innovation Hub in the State of Rio de Janeiro, an Embrapa Solos Center of Excellence in Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition, a pilot plant for the development of biotechnological products in partnership with Shell, and a Center for Technological Innovation in Health, in partnership with Fiocruz.

The next anniversary event was Innovation Week, featuring a lineup of female speakers who addressed topics such as leadership and future professionals, inclusive innovation, open innovation, society 5.0 and education for innovation and entrepreneurship. It included World Intellectual Property Day, organised jointly with Inova UFRJ, with a program that put more female speakers in the spotlight via lectures, an exhibition of technologies developed by women from the university and an art exhibition in partnership with the School of Fine Arts, with the support of WIPO – World Intellectual Property Organization, USPTO – United States Patent and Trademark Office and INPI – National Institute of Industrial Property.

It ran alongside an exhibition of technologies developed by UFRJ students, professors and partners, featuring innovations such as a boat powered by solar energy, autonomous underwater vehicles, aerospace equipment, digital services for refugees and forced migrants in Brazil, technology for detecting prostate cancer, anti-inflammatory cosmetics based on algae, and more.

Celebrations continued in June, with an event focused on innovation and trends in the food and beverage industry. With presentations from experts representing companies such as Ambev, John Deere, and Korin Alimentos, as well as a gastronomic fair showcasing UFRJ entrepreneurs, it was the first sector-specific event within the anniversary celebrations. Further events will take place throughout the year, focusing on specific topics such as biotechnology, smart cities, mobility, and green energy.

For Vicente Ferreira, Executive Director of the UFRJ Technology Park, innovation plays a vital role in the economic development of the country and in generating well-being for society.

“The Technological Park has a vital role in this mission, by connecting knowledge producers and companies. Highlighting the theme of innovation for society in general, as well as the scientific community and the productive sector, it is fundamental for these connections to expand even more. It is in this sense that the event intends to act, strengthening UFRJ, promoting connections and bringing society closer to science, technology and innovation,” he said.

For more information about UFRJ Technology Park, please visit https://www.parque.ufrj.br/.